Fr. Joe DISciacca

These are good days to celebrate with family and friends. Maybe you have been to too many gatherings though and just want to relax. Sitting in front of the “fireplace” with a cup of tea or coffee and no Christmas music, might sound like a good thing to you.

Or, you could be like others who seem to enjoy lots of gatherings and could keep on going right through until the end of the holiday season.

Whatever you do, this is also the time to reflect on the past year and many will make resolutions for the New Year. Was this a difficult year for you and your family? Housing, food and gas prices have touched us all. Loss of a job or the possibility of loss of a job is stressful. Was there bad health or the loss of a loved one? In these days we need to help one another as much as we can.

Maybe this was a good year for you. Rejoice and be thankful to the Lord.

When thinking about next year and your resolutions, be sure to make them realistic but also with the goal of a little bit of a stretch. It is good to reach a little, but not so high that the resolution cannot possibly be achieved.

May the Lord bless us all in the New Year. May we reach out with kindness, justice and peace to all.

Happy New Year to you.

Pastor's Corner - for the Solemnity of the Epiphany, January 4, 2008

This is the first Sunday of the New Year. It is the solemn feast of the Epiphany.
This is a great feast day for Spanish speaking countries. It is the day that the Three Kings
come to visit the Christ Child and bring presents to children. It is a day of great fun.

The Epiphany is the first public manifestation of the Child Jesus to people who were not Israelites, Jewish believers. The Magi represent all those who will come to believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Magi represent each one of us.

The Magi travel far to seek a newborn king. They travel in hope. They present gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They worship in wonder and awe. They recognize in this Child the fulfillment of a promise. With them may we worship our God and King, Jesus born of Mary.

I would also like to remind everyone that our Open Forum meeting is next Saturday night, January 10th following the 4 PM Mass. Please join us. These meetings are meant to be informal and relaxed. They include a light meal and the opportunity for people to express their opinions. I will give a brief report on how our parish is doing, but the main goal is to give parishioners the chance to ask questions and offer input on their concerns. This is a good way for us to act together as a parish family. I look forward to seeing you there.